Sony Working on New Handheld Console for PS5 Games to Rival Nintendo’s Switch

Sony Group Corp. is in the early stages of developing a portable console that would play its PlayStation 5 games on the move.

The product is aimed at expanding Sony’s reach and contending with Nintendo Co. for the portable gaming market, according to people familiar with its development. It would also counter any potential mobile hardware from Xbox maker Microsoft Corp., which is working on prototypes in the category as well. Sony’s portable device is likely years away from launch and the company could still decide against bringing it to market, the people said, asking not to be named discussing private plans.

The idea builds on the PlayStation Portal, an 8-inch handheld device Sony released in 2023 that allows users to play PS5 games by streaming them over the internet. Tokyo-based Sony initially had intended for it to function as a standalone device like Valve Corp.’s Steam Deck, the people said.

Building a mobile device that’s capable of directly playing PS5 games would potentially make Sony’s software more accessible and appealing to a wider audience. The company has taken several steps in recent times in that direction, including making a bigger push into mobile and PC gaming as well as live-service titles.

A Sony spokeswoman declined to comment.

Mobile gaming, which brings in the bulk of the industry’s revenue each year, is today dominated by smartphones. Nintendo’s Switch console has carved out a lucrative niche for itself by offering the versatility of being playable both on the move and connected to a TV set. Its successor is expected to be released in 2025 and will retain compatibility with Nintendo’s rich library of existing Switch titles, potentially sparking an upgrade cycle among users of the nearly eight-year-old console.

Sony and Microsoft have not competed with their own portable gaming hardware for years, following popular but ultimately unsuccessful products like the PS Vita and PlayStation Portable, which were discontinued a decade ago.

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